Barrel measuring device



Ma 31,1938. J' BAUER. 2,119,031

BARREL MEASURING DEVICE Filed July 5, 1936 INVENTOR.

, JOHN-ALBERT 0512..

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 31, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

The invention relates to a device particularly adapted for utilization in measuring the circumference of barrels, at different points on said barrels.

Heretofore, considerable inconvenience, difliculty and loss of time have been experienced by owners of cooper shops, or barrel manufacturing plants, and various others in providing center hoops of correct size for barrels, such as whisky barrels formed from wood, on which center hoops can with satisfaction and efiicient results be placed on the said barrels only after said barrels have been built a sufiicient period of time to permit the barrels to shrink so that after the center hoops are placed and tightened on said barrels said center hoops will not become loose. The end hoops may be placed and tightened on a wood barrel immediately after its completion because after the barrel shrinks said end hoops may be manually, or otherwise, driven toward the middle or center of the barrel and thereby tightened, since the sides of said barrel are inclined outwardly from the ends toward the center or middle of said barrel. However, after a center hoop is tightened on the bulge, or middle of a barrel, it cannot be tightened by being manually, or otherwise, driven to another position on said barrel because the sides of the barrel are inclined inwardly from said bulge toward the ends, whereby movement of the center hoop toward either end of said barrel positions said center hoop at a point where the diameter and circumference of said barrel is less than at the bilge, bulge or middle of said barrel. Also, movement of the center hoop, after it is tightened and properly positioned on a barrel, with the hole in said hoop in alignment with the bung hole in said barrel, will cause said hole in said hoop tobe out of alignment with said bung hole.

Since the center hoops of said barrels cannot be tightened, after said barrels have shrunk, said center hoops usually are placed and tightened on said barrels after said barrels have remained at the barrel manufacturing plant a sufiicient period to permit said barrels to shrink so that after said center hoops are made tight on said barrels said center hoops will remain tight, whereas barrels having only end hoops may be shipped from said barrel manufacturing plant to the distillery intending to use said barrels. Ordinarily during the period of transportation the barrels shrink and the end hoops are tightened at the distillery after which the barrels may be used immediately for containing whisky, or other liquid. Also, after barrels, using center hoops, have shrunk the circumference of the barrels vary, whereby center hoops of different sizes are required to fit different shrunk barrels.

Therefore, an important object of the invention is to provide simple, practical and efiicient means which may be manually utilized to quickly, conveniently, and accurately measure said barrels in order to determine the correct size of center hoops for the respective barrels.

The invention consists in the combination of the elements, arrangement'of the parts, in the details of the construction and in the process.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a barrel having the invention incorporated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing the coil spring compressed;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is the same View shown in Fig. 2 except that the coil spring is in normal position; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the center strap.

In the preferred construction of the invention I provide the stand or support I, having the'legs 2 supported by the head 3 of the usual barrel 4 formed from the wood staves 5. The sides of the barrel are inclined outwardly from the ends 6 and 1 toward the middle or bulge 8 of the barrel. The end hoops 9, in, II and 9, H), and H are fixed in spaced apart relation around the ends [2 and I3 of the barrel. Intermediate the ends 6 and 1 is the bung hole H! which is in the bulge 8. The center hoop I5 is around the barrel 4 at the bulge 8 and comprises the strap 16 having its ends I! and I 8 riveted to the ends l9 and 20 of the plate 2| which has the circular hole 22 therein which is approximately the same size as the bung hole I4 and in alignment therewith.

Integrally connected with the top of the stand I is the lower end of the vertical tube 23 which has therein the compressible coil spring 24. The lower end 25 of the piston 26, which is slidable in the tube 23, contacts the upper end of the spring 24 and is supported thereby. Integral with the upper end of the piston 26 is the boss 21 having integrally connected therewith the horizontal bars 28 whose outer ends 29 extend through vertical planes taken through the outer edge of the top and also the bulge 8, of the barrel 4. Fixed to the outer ends of the bars 28 are the downwardly extending vertical rods 30 having fixed to their lower ends 3| the flexible arms 32 which have the groove 33 in their lower ends through which is slidably received the flexible measuring band 34.

When the coil spring is expanded, as shown in Fig. 4, the band 34 is a considerable distance above the bulge 8.

When it is desired to measure the circumference of the barrel 4, in order to determine the correct diameter of the center hoop l5, for the particular barrel to which it is intended to be attached, the bars 28 are manually forced downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 and with the lower ends, of the arms 32, and the band 34, positioned approximately three inches above the bung hole l4. Then the band 34 istightened around the barrel thereby forcing the lower ends of the arms 32 inwardly in contact with the barrel 4. Afterward the ends 35 and 36, of the band 34, are overlapped and by referring to the graduations 37 and the indicating characters 38 the user may quickly determine the correct diameter or size of the center hoop l required to fit the particular barrel being measured. The center hoop I5 is then placed over the head of the barrel and manually, or otherwise, driven downwardly over the bulge 8 of the barrel and with the hole 22, in the plate 2|, in alignment with the bung hole l4. However, if this operation were performed immediately afteh the barrel is completed within a few days the barrel would shrink sufficiently to loosen the center hoop l5 and being loosened it would not exert pressure inwardly of the barrel. Therefore, it is necessary before afiixing the center hoop l5, to the barrel 4, that the barrel shall be permitted to shrink a few days, depending upon the temperature, and humidity of the air. Generally speaking, in order to permit the barrel 4 to shrink before attaching the center hoop l5 it is necessary to retain the barrel at the barrel manufacturing plant a few days.

Great inconvenience and difficulty is experienced by workers in determining the correct diameter of the center hoops l5 for the respective barrels, because the circumference of the different barrels vary. Therefore, center hoops of different sizes may be manufactured and attached to barrels requiring the respective size center hoops as determined by the graduations 31 and character indications 38 on the measuring band 34.

The process of attaching center hoops I5 to the barrels 4 is as follows:

The barrels 4 may be manufactured, with the end hoops attached thereto, and immediately shipped to the distillery at which it is intended using the barrels. During the transportation sufficient period expires to cause the barrels to shrink so that the correct size center hoops l5, determined by reference to the measuring band 34, may be immediately attached to the respective barrels and tightened around the bulge 8. Since the barrels have shrunk the center hoops will remain tight and thereby exert inward pressure on the bulge 8.

An important advantage of the invention is that barrels may be partly completed at a barrel manufacturing plant and immediately shipped to distilleries, at which the barrels will be used, and upon arrival the center hoops l5 may be attached to the barrels without any loss of time, and no space, as a warehouse, is required to store the barrels while the same are shrinking suificiently to permit efficient utilization of the center hoops l5.

While I believe that the form of the invention illustrated in the drawing and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is. efficient and practicable, yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of the device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that changes in the details may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the claims. Hence I do not limit myself to the precise details of the materials, or the size and shape thereof, as set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairlyfall within the spirit and scope of the appended and final claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A barrel measuring device comprising a support adapted to be supported by the head of a barrel, a vertical tube having its lower end integrally connected with the top of said support, a compressible coil spring in said tube, a piston slidable in said tube and contacting the upper end of said spring, said piston adapted to be manually forced downwardly in said tube and .simultaneously compress said spring, said spring adapted to force said piston upwardly when said manual force is released, horizontal bars being fixed to the upper end of said piston, said bars extending through a vertical plane taken through the outer edge of the top of said barrel, downwardly extending vertical arms fixed to the outer ends of said bars, flexible rods being fixed to the lower ends of said arms and extending downwardly and normally the lower ends of said rods being positioned outwardly of the sides of said barrel and adjacent the middle thereof, a flexible measuring band being slidably mounted in the lower ends of said rods, said band being adapted to be manually forced in contact with and around the outer sides of said barrel at a predetermined point whereby the circumference of said barrel at said predetermined point may be measured.

2. A barrel measuring device comprising a support adapted to be supported by the head of a barrel, 2, vertical tube having its lower end integrally connected with the top of said support, a piston slidable in said tube, said piston adapted to be manually forced downwardly in said tube, horizontal bars being fixed to the upper end of said piston, said bars extending through a vertical plane taken through the outer edge of the top of said barrel, downwardly extending vertical arms fixed to the outer ends of said bars, fiexible rods being fixed to the lower ends of said arms and extending downwardly and normally the lower ends of said rods being positioned outwardly of the sides of said barrel and adjacent the middle thereof, a flexible measuring band being slidably mounted in the lower ends of said rods, said band being adapted to be manually forced in contact with and around the outer sides of said barrel at a predetermined point whereby the circumference of said barrel at said predetermined point may be measured.

3. A barrel measuring device comprising a support supported by the head of a barrel, a vertical tube having its lower end integrally connected with the top of said support, a piston slidable in said tube, said piston adapted to be manually forced downwardly in said tube, horizontal bars being fixed to the upper end of said piston, said bars extending through a vertical plane taken through the outer edge of the top of said barrel, downwardly extending vertical arms fixed to said bars, flexible rods being fixed to said arms, a measuring band being slidably mounted in said rods, said band being adapted to be manually forced in contact with and around the outer sides of said barrel whereby the circumference of said barrel may be measured.

A barrel measuring device comprising a sup port adapted to be supported by the head of a barrel, a tube having its lower end connected with said support, a piston slidable in said tube, said piston adapted to be manually forced downwardly in said tube, bars being fixed to said piston, downwardly extending arms fixed to the outer ends of said bars, rods being fixed to the lower ends of said arms and extending downwardly and normally the lower ends of said rods being positioned outwardly of the sides of said barrel and adjacent the middle thereof, a flexible measuring band being slidably mounted in the lower ends of said rods, said band being adapted to be manually forced in contact with and around the outer sides of said barrel at a predetermined point whereby the circumference of said barrel at said predetermined point may be measured.

5. In a device of the class described, a horizontal bar spaced upwardly from the head of a barrel, means to retain said bar in fixed position, means fixed to the ends of said bar and extending downwardly adjacent the sides of said barrel, and means supported by said last mentioned means adapted for use in measuring the circumference of said barrel.

JOHN ALBERT BAUER. 

